The Playhouse Winefest held its first-ever symposium on March 28, 2007. Members of the wine trade joined Wine Access editor-in-chief Anthony Gismondi in the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue theatre-in-the-round as he probed industry leaders, polled audience members and sent his own SOS about the future of wine packaging. Attendees then cast their ballots on a range of questions. The event was facilitated by Simon Fraser University's Glenn Sigurdson.
1. What will be the most important enabler of change?
The ease of access: 10%
The throne of quality: 14%
The power of advertising: 15%
The conscience of sustainability: 20%
The prospect of profit: 24%
2. What will be the most important impediment to change?
The ease of access: 5%
The new age of social conscience: 5%
The prospect of profit: 13%
Producer reluctance: 23%
The romance of ritual: 34%
3. What is the top price you would pay for a wine with a screw cap or a crown cap?
$10: 2%
$30: 13%
$20: 17%
More than $30: 52%
4. What is the top price you would pay for a wine in plastic?
More than $30: 4%
$30: 13%
$10: 21%
$20: 45%
5. What is the top price you would pay for a wine in Tetra Pak?
More than $30: 1%
$30: 4%
$10: 34%
$20: 46%
It is 2012. You have just walked into a retail liquor/wine store, and as you walk down the aisles you suddenly think to yourself how different the store looks than only 5 years ago. You look more closely and realize the difference relates to how the products are packaged...
6. Who do you believe has been the most important driver behind this change?
The Quality Gurus: 17%
The Technology Wizards: 28%
The Green Gang: 35%
Watch Linda Aylesworth's story on the Global BC Evening News.
Glenn Sigurdson is a Research Associate and Fellow of the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, Simon Fraser University. He has a proven track record in dealing with complex challenges and difficult problems. He gives leadership to create effective working relationships, build durable partnerships and resolve seemingly intractable disputes. The depth and diversity of his experience distinguishes his work as a practitioner, teacher, writer and speaker.
Anthony Gismondi is one of Canada's most influential wine critics. He is currently in his tenth year at Wine Access - Canada's Wine and Food Magazine, his third as editor-in-chief, and he is completing 18 years as the weekly columnist at the Vancouver Sun where his full page Saturday column reaches over 800,000 homes. His personal, comprehensive wine website www.gismondionwine.com, attracts over 750,000 hits a month from 60 countries. An avid proponent of appellations and site specific wines Anthony spends at least three months of the year travelling the world's vineyards to experience the wine notion of terroir in person.
Click the panelist name below for their bio info.
Tracy Crawford, Director of Purchasing, Manitoba Liquor Control Commission
Tracy has been with the MLCC for 22 years in a variety of roles and departments and as she is also a Chartered Accountant, held the position of Chief Financial Officer for four years before her current appointment as Director Purchasing. On a personal note she is married to Jim, has one daughter, Amanda (husband Ryan), and two cats.
Bettina Ferrando, Director of Innovation, Foster's
As Director of Innovation, Bettina is responsible for the development and execution of new brands at Foster's Wine Estates. This includes managing the development of innovative packaging solutions such as Wolf Blass Bilyara Reserve 750 ml PET and the Little Penguin 750 ml PET. The role of the Innovation Department at Foster's Wine Estates, which was created in 2005, is to drive the development of consumer led, customer driven initiatives throughout the business.
Charlie Gilmore is already an accomplished winemaker, early in a career featuring assignments in France, Australia and now, California. His world winemaking explorations have given him insights into the best of old world practices, even as he perfects the New World fruit-forward styles for Bonterra and other Brown-Forman wineries. Growing up in the agricultural regions around Sacramento brought him to the legendary Viticultural program at the University of California at Davis. "You can taste the fun in wines.", he likes to say, "We put it there on purpose."
Jaan Koel, Communications and Environmental Affairs Manager, Tetra Pak Canada
In addition to handling public relations and advertising activities, Jaan Koel is responsible for communicating the company's messages on sustainability and promoting the recycling of Tetra Pak cartons in the Canadian market.
Shay McQuade, General Manager, Business Development, Amcor Australasia
Andrew Peace is a typical Australian: open; honest and friendly, and, somehow, his wines reflect his personality. After his father purchased the vineyards in 1980, Andrew trained as a winemaker with giants Lindemans and Mildara Blass, and by 1995 the family opted to start its own winery. Today Andrew Peace Wines are ranked fourteenth amongst Australian wineries, and, more significantly, it's still a family-run business under the control of a single-minded and focused owner.
Jim Robertson, Global Business Relations Manager, Pernod Ricard
Twenty-five year industry veteran Jim Robertson has seen New Zealand wine explode onto the world stage and has been in key positions to affect the country's wine export growth. Currently, Jim is charged with supporting global markets in establishing the New Zealand wine category. He manages business development, public relations and the inbound media and trade visitor program. He also sits on the board of the Cross Sector Food and Wine Tourism network, created to develop a strategic vision and quality standards to the industry.
Javier Santos, Director of the Wines Business Unit, Liquor Control Board of Ontario
Javier Santos was born and raised in Mexico City; he has an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. Javier started his professional career with P&G as a member of the marketing Department and later joined PepsiCo, where he worked in the Snacks Division in Mexico and Argentina. Javier joined E&J Gallo Winery as Sales Director in Latin America. He moved to Canada in 2005 and has been the Director of the Wines Business Unit for the LCBO since January 2006.
A native New Yorker, Mark Tucker is a graduate of the University of Scranton with a degree in Communications and Business. In 1999 Mark joined Mionetto USA, a new venture started by the Mionetto winery of Valdobbiadene, Italy to promote its Prosecco and sparkling wines to North America based out of a New York office. Today as the Marketing Manager, Tucker is responsible for the advertising, public relations, promotional item development, product programming and development, trade shows and all facets of the marketing, including giving presentations on Mionetto's Prosecco and sparkling wines and answering tough questions like, "Hey, how come you're not Italian?"
Kelly Wilson, Executive Director, Retail Services, British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch
Kelly Wilson is responsible for the entire supply chain of the Liquor Distribution Branch in British Columbia, including the purchasing, distribution, retail, wholesale, marketing and real estate of the corporation. She joined the LDB in 1993 after many years with one of Canada's largest liquor agencies that is also a producer in British Columbia. Her experience is more than 20 years of senior management in marketing and business management, primarily in liquor products.
Taste responsibly!
Do not drink and drive. Visit the Get Home Safe booth for a free transit ticket. You must be 19 or older to attend.
